Self-closing valve



June 1o, 1930. W A, BUCKNER 1,762,503

SELF CLOSING VALVE Filed May 3, 1928 lllllllllllllllllllllllll u INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented .lune 10, i930 WILLIAM A. BUCKNER, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA SELF-CLOSING `VALVE Application led May 3, 1928. Serial No. 274,805.

This invention relates to sprinklersystems such as are ipstalled in connection with golf courses and similar areas, which utilize underground piping and sprinklers connected z thereto at intervals and which must beremoved when sprinkling operations are completed so that nothing willthen project above the ground.

The principal object of my invention is to @1c provide a self closing valve adapted to be permanently connected to the underground pipe, and a quick detachable coupling member to cooperate with the valve for opening the same.

Another object is to arrange the coupling `structure so that there is no sideways movement thereof nor any partial rotation necessary to effect the coupling, but only a straight downward pressure which is obtained in con- 12@ junction with the movement of the coupling lever to a locking or` clamping position.

A still further object is to construct the iplunger of the valve in such a manner that itmay be easily adjusted to enable the volume 25 of flow therethrough to be altered, without affecting o r having to adjustthe coupling device itself.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet A one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of Asuch `structure band relative arrangement of parts as willfully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In thedrawings similar characters of refer- `ence indicate corresponding parts in the several views: i

Fig. l isa side elevation ofimy improved valve and coupling shown as mounted in place in connection with a pipe line and sprinkler. j i i Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the valve and coupling shown as associated together but before the coupling is locked to the valve.

F ig. 3 is a similar View showing the coupling as locked.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the valve. plunger showing the flow` adjustment feature.

Fig. `fisa fragmentary view of asprinkler barrel showing the coupling member `:as formed integral therewith.

Referring now more `particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral l denotes the stationary barrel `of a sprinkler 2 of the slow rotation type such as is shown in my copending application for patent, Serial No. 88,550, filed. February 1G,

21926, and others of a like nature, whose lower end is adapted to be screwed into the coupling member. The coupling member comprises a tapped sleeve portion 3 to screw onto the barrel and a straight or plain sided tubular member 4 depending therefrom and concentric therewith. A compressible gasket 5 isplaced H65 about the member 4 at the junction `of `the same with the sleeve 3.

The member l is adapted to snugly but removably lit into the neck portion 6 cfa valve body 7, the body below the neck being T bored `as at 8 to a diameter greater than the bore-of the neck. Slidable in the bore 8 isa plunger 9, which on its upper end carriesa reduced `portion l0 to snugly fit the neck. A gasket 11 about the base of the portion `l0 @75 is adapted to fit against the bottom or base of the neck to normally maintain a water tight lit therewitlnthe plunger being heldto this position by a spring 12 in the bore be low. The spring bears at one end against v60 the plunger andatthe other end against a removable reducing bushing 13 by means of which the valve is attached to a nipple lll projecting upwardly from the underground pipe line l5 as shown in Fig. l.

The body 7 has opposed vertical or longitudinal bypasses 16 communicating with the enlarged or main bore 8 both at top and bottom thercof.` The body 9 of the plunger issolid, but the upper portion l0 is hollow, :being-"9U open to the top andhavinglateral openings 17 intermediate its top and bottom communicating with the hollow area. Adjustably mounted in the plunger body is an upstanding screw 18 whose head 19 projects into the 95 upper hollow area intermediate the top and bottom of the openings 17, and is approxi mately the same diameter as the bore of said `hollowiportion. By means ofthis construcclosed owing to the upward pressure of the spring; but when the plunger is depressed `which are above the screw head 19. This is on account of the close fit of the screw head with the bore of the member 10, which prevents the upward movement of any appreciable amount of water entering the lateral openings below said screw head. It will therefore be seen that adjusting the screw 18 up or down, alters the area of the lateral openings available for the passage of the water, so as to give different volumetric flows of water, with the same amount of depression of the plunger. The length of the member 4 of the coupling is such that when the gasket 5 is compressed against the top of the neck 6, the valve plunger will be depressed so that the full height of the lateral open? ings register withthe top ports of the bypasses as shown in Fig. 3. Also the length of the neck and correspondingly that of the member 4 is sufficient to provide a firm bearing between these parts and prevent any possible lateral or rocking movement therebetween.

The valve being opened by a straight downward pressure of the member 4 on the plunger, the latter is not turned or canted so as to tend to cause it to bind or the gasket to be cut. The bypass arrangement provides for a flow of water `through the valve which will not be affected by the movement of the body of the plunger and allows the latter to be solid as is necessary in providing my improved form of flow controladjustments.

The coupling member 4 is depressed and clamped in position in the neck so as to maintain the plunger valve open and the valve and coupling in rigid relationship by the` following means: A handle lever 2O has 'a yoke 21 which is pivoted on the opposite sides of the coupling member 3. Depending from the handle end of the yoke are locking cams 22 which are adapted when the handle is swung downwardly from a'substantially vertical position, to pass under and clampingly engage opposed lugs 23 projecting outwardly from the valve body. The lug engagingedges of the cams are so disposed relative to the pivot of the yoke that the outer ends of these cams are further from the pivot than their inner ends. Therefore as the handle is depressed the cams engage the lugs with increasing pressure, and the coupling member is drawn straight down until the gasket 5 is firmly compressed against the top of the valve body, said cams being then in locking position with the lugs. This structure itself is substantially the same as that shown in my co-pending application for patent, Serial No. 191,709, iiled May 16, 1927. Due to the fact that the member 4 projects a considerable depth into the neck of the valve, there can be no side play between the parts after the locking compression has been attained, as previously stated, and consequently no matter how much lateral pull or strain may be placed on the coupling, the oint will be maintained tight and leak proof.

By reason of the above arrangement of parts, the coupling having a close fit with the valve and being pressed down straight into both a clamping and plunger depressing position with a downward pressure on the handle, the coupling may be made instantly and there will be no squirting of water from the struc ture as the plunger becomes depressed. This feature in connection with the slow rotation type of sprinkler used, enables the operator to attach the sprinkler to the valve'and get clear of the latter without being sprayed by water from the sprinkler or from between the valve and coupling.

The valve body is provided with a hinged cover 24 so that after the coupling is removed the cover may be swung over the top of the valve to close the neck and prevent dirt and other foreign matter from lodging in the same.

1n the above I have described the coupling member as being a unit in itself capable of being attached to any sprinkler but not necessarily permanently connected thereto. 1f desired, however, 1 may make the coupling member 4a an integral part of the base of the 'sprinkler barrel 1, and mount the locking lever 20a directly on said base as shown in Fig. 5, so that the valve and sprinkler form the complete cooperating apparatus.

vFrom theforegoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. valve comprising a body having a main bore and a reduced neck bore beyond the main bore, a plunger closely slidable in the main bore and normally seating against the base of the neckbore to close the sance at said base, and a longitudinal bypass formed in the body and communicating with the main bore at both ends thereof whereby when the plunger is depressed from its seating position, water may pass from the main bore beyond one end of the plunger to the neck beyond the other end of the same.

2. A valve comprising a body having a main bore open to the outer end of the body and a reduced neck bore beyond the main bore, means at said end of the body adapting the same for connection to a supply pipe, a plunger in the body comprising a solid body portion slidable in the main bore and a hollow reduced portion open to its outer end and slidable in the neck, means normally maintaining the body of the plunger Seated against the base of the neck to seal the same from the main bore, the hollow portion of the valve having lateral openings, and Water passage means in the body communicating with one end of said main bore, and adapted to register with said lateral openings when the plunger is depressed.

3. A valve comprising a body having a main bore and a reduced neck bore beyond the main bore, a plunger in the body comprising a solid body portion slidable in the main bore and a hollow reduced portion open to its outer end and slidab-le in the neck, means normally maintaining the body of the plunger seated against the base of the neck to seal the same from the main bore; the hollow portion of the valve having lateral openings intermediate its outer and inner ends, water passage means in the body communicating with one end of said main bore and adapted to register with said lateral openings when the plunger is depressed, and means for altering the area of the openings through which the water may pass from said passage means to the neck with the same extent of depression of the plunger.

4. A structure as in claim 3, in which said last named means comprises a longitudinally adjustable head in the hollow portion of the plunger; said head being substantially the same diameter as the bore o said portion and being located intermediate the outer and inner ends of the lateral openings.

In testimony whereof I aHX my signature.

WILLIAM A. BUCKNER. 

